Heroin addict turned robber gets treatment program offer

BRENTWOOD — A Derry woman charged with four robberies, including ones in Derry and Londonderry, will be allowed to be free on personal recognizance bail if she finds a residential treatment program for drug addiction.

Rochelle Richards, 23, had her bail changed by a superior court judge to $50,000 personal recognizance from cash bail — contingent upon her finding a residential treatment facility that will accept her, according to a judge’s order.

Richards was indicted last month in Rockingham County Superior Court for the April 9 attempted robbery of a Subway restaurant in Londonderry for telling a store worker, “I have a gun. Give me all your money,” according to prosecutors.

No gun was shown, police said.

A worker called 911 reporting that the woman fled in a blue Dodge Neon parked near the Perkins Road eatery.

Derry police arrested Richards for the April 7 robbery at East Derry General Store, and charges from other recent robberies in the area soon followed.

Manchester police charged her with allegedly robbing a D’Angelo’s sandwich shop on South Willow Street on April 3, and the Candia Road Convenience store on April 9. That robbery happened about 40 minutes after the attempted robbery in Londonderry, according to police.

During her initial court appearances, Richards said she has a heroin addiction that led her to commit the robberies.

Judge Marguerite Wageling ordered that Richards would not be allowed to have any unexcused absences from the treatment program.

An absence or departure from the treatment program would result in Richards being held on $50,000 cash bail pending her trial in superior court, according to the court order.

Police said detectives were able to identify Richards as a suspect through several tips. Surveillance photos released by Derry police after the robbery in their town showed a blue Dodge Neon in the parking lot of the general store.

The attempted robbery charge from the Londonderry case is a Class B felony, punishable by up to 3½ to 7 years in state prison.

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